The mess that is: MWEB/TELKOM/OPENSERVE/SKHOSANA NETWORKS

After years of being an ADSL subscriber, I moved premises and subsequently requested a new fiber line to be installed (called on the 02/05/2018), was informed that installation may take up to 14 days but COULD and CAN happen sooner. Installation took place 2 days later on the 04/05/2018 at 09:30 much to my delight.... at the time.

Initially 2 technicians from SKHOSANA NETWORKS arrived on site and I was informed that technician #2 was to undertake the installation as he "needed" the experience for his upcoming evaluation? Installation proceeded to take 2 hours and 45minutes for a simple pole to roof installation, spanning not more than 10m and the ONT directly underneath. Installation was completed successfully and the job was signed off, a few hours later the green LOS signal on the ONT was replaced by a blinking red one. I was not specifically aware that this would become a bigger problem.

On the 07/05/2018 I completed my contract with Mweb, that night I proceeded to install my Fibre router and that was when I fully came to realise the significance of the red LOS light. I called Mweb on 08/05/2018 to report the fault and was explained that the repair is not carried out by them and is subsequently out of their control and could take up to 14 days to complete and could incur charges for an necessary call-out, etc.... Openserve contacted me at 10:30 to confirm the problem and escalate to telkom.

Being the patient person that I am and being informed that the repair could take up to 14 days, I waited..... that was up until the 15/05 when I received my invoice from MWEB for payment. I promptly phoned their accounts department to understand how the billing/invoicing/credit would work given than I have a pending fault on my fibre line and have been unable to use it since the installation. I was then very kindly informed that A: a credit would only take place should the repair take longer than 14 days as this is unfortunately out of their control and within the allowable time frame given to them and B: the fault that had been logged had been flagged as resolved or complete same day....

The fault was re-opened and Openserve contacted me later that day at about 11:45 only to have to explain the same fault and being told they will follow up.

We are now on the 18th of May with no usable fibre, no feedback as to when, how, why, who or what will be done.

I have however learnt these 3 things:

A: Mweb/Openserve/Telkom will en-devour to install your fibre line as quick as possible to ensure that you can be billed as quick as possible B: A fault receives lower priority than an installation (again you are being billed so why worry) C: I am still expect to pay given that invoice from Mweb is still dated to go off on the 1st of June

Cleary given the bureaucracy that is MWEB/TELKOM/OPENSERVE/SKHOSANA NETWORKS, the age old saying of "don't know your a$$ from a hole in the ground" applies or perhaps if that is not the correct term please enlighten me...